Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

I do understand why some people have suggested in the past that the L&BR could be run with Garratts. There was a serious proposal many years ago to buy three SAR NGG16 Garratts, take them apart and rebuild them into 2-6-2 Tank locos, but I think it came down to the finished width, which killed off the idea at the time.

Moving forward to today, 'LYN' is wider than a Garratt. So I don't think that argument now stands up. Thinking about it, however, this could still be a useful way for the L&BR to build two more powerful 2-6-2 Colonial-style locos, should they need them.

I also get the discussion about wanting to save just above everything and make it into an instrument of education, but one discussion that, whether it is taken as read or not, is commercial viability. Could a fully 20-mile rebuilt L&BR become a sustainable enterprise or not?

Now I am not against such an Idea, in fact, that would be my dream to see that happen, but what would be the point if, say, after ten years, the railway collapses with a mountain of debt that it can not pay off?

 

Quite. There are enough challenges without expanding the scope of the project to turn the L&B into something that it never was, when so much opinion is behind restoring it to what it was.

This L&B supporter would just like to see the project develop, and see how the challenges of restoration and extension can best be met in line with demands. There's plenty of discussion here already about possible options; I see no need to rehash it further.

 

If preservation means anything though, surely it is about preserving things that once existed (whether that is actual artefacts, or more ephemeral things like working practices). It can’t possibly be about “what if” scenarios.

There are a number of steam railways in the country that operate completely alien locomotives and stock along old railway corridors, sometimes even at different gauges. You could list Brecon Mountain Railway, Bure Valley, Welsh Highland, Launceston Steam Railway, Gartell Light Railway and others in that list. Individually they have their charms, but you can hardly say that, for example, the Gartell Light Railway has anything to do with preserving the Somerset and Dorset, except the trackbed. I’d suggest the L&BR shouldn’t be angling to join that group.

Tom

 

I'm not sure I'd include WHR in that list, because a) so little survived anyway and b) what we now have owes something to a realisation of the tourist aspect of the original vision. I would then add, at Standard Gauge, the likes of Tanfield and South Tynedale.

The general point, though, is very well made.

 

Insofar as what the movement is about is strictly "preservation" that is true. But a lot of what goes on is only "preservation" in a loose sense. Examples are the NG railways on closed SG formations that you cite and restored locos or new build one that reproduce lost classes with some changes to suit modern conditions, such as ETCS on Tornado and air braking on that and other steam locos. However I do acknowledge that a lot of the enthusiasm for restoring the L&B is for restoring it as close as possible to what it was. The more any proposal departs from that, the less support it is likely to get.

Edited to remove an inconsistency.

 

This year's Exmoor Associates and Yeo Valley Trust Autumn Shareholders Meeting has a new venue!
Taking place at 10:00am on Sunday 28th September, the meeting will now be hosted by the Growforward Project at Chelfham, by kind permission of the Project leader, Danny Argent.
Shareholders, supporters and guests are welcome to attend.
The address is: The Meadow View Hall, Growforward Project, Chelfham, Barnstaple, EX32 7LA
For further details, or to book a finger buffet lunch, please contact Mike Buse: https://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/contact/